It pays to be creative in Dubai, with more and more phenomenal projects dedicated to design, technology and innovation. The city is proving it has the resources, the talent, and the drive to make a serious impression on the creative industries.

Dubai is making its mark on the world of design

Meet the creative nerve centres of our emirate

From aviation hubs to fashion think tanks and industry innovation, these creative centres are set to make their mark on the emirate’s fast-lane future.

Dubai World Central has lift-off

Dubai World Central, or DWC, will be the world’s first city built for and around an airport – the Al Maktoum International Airport is set to be the world’s largest once complete. Covering an area of 145 square kilometres, DWC is intended as a hub for the aviation and travel industry. Once finished, it will support activities related to the airport including logistics, commercial, exhibition and residential activities.

DWC is set to become the home of Dubai Expo 2020, for which the emirate is expecting 25 million visitors. There are two hotels in the pipeline to house these guests, as well as a residential city, staff village, golf city, enterprise park and commercial city in the economic free zone.

Dubai Design District dress circle

Better known as D3, Dubai Design District is an ambitious hub for the emirate’s fashion and creative industries. Located close to the Dubai Mall – arguably the world’s capital for fashion retail – D3 is intended to develop the emirate’s fashion, design and luxury sectors as a full service commercial hub for design industry-related organisations, brands and supporting enterprises.

Intended as a home for artists and creative thinkers, D3 has been specially designed to create an space to nurture emerging talent and provide a home for the region’s creative minds. A mix of residential, commercial and retail buildings, workshops and artist studios, D3 is planning to attract big international brands to establish a presence and enlist creative minds in the region.

Galleries and grunt at Al Quoz

While D3 is the commercial hub for the creative industries, Al Quoz is the grassroots, the original home for creative minds in Dubai. Located in the industrial quarter of Dubai, it is home to several art galleries displaying contemporary work from the region’s most famous and emerging talent.

It is also home to Alserkal Avenue, a network of galleries, cafes and creative spaces offering a base for Dubai’s art community to collaborate, converse, debate and appreciate international and regional work. The venue also plays host to a steady stream of events throughout the year including the Urban Market and Street Art Night.